


Dusk Till Dawn

by bisexualbarry



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Supergirl (TV 2015), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alpha Oliver Queen, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Barry Allen Isn't The Flash, Bisexual Barry Allen, Bisexual Iris West, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Minor Character Death, Omega Barry Allen, Slow Build, Slow Burn, more to be added as I write
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-06-09 01:15:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15256197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualbarry/pseuds/bisexualbarry
Summary: Odd crimes keep happening all throughout Central City, and Barry’s determined to get to the bottom of it.At the same time, Barry’s trying to nurse a broken heart after the sudden death of his mate. But a strange alpha in a green hood keeps arriving, and it leaves Barry wondering what he should do.Solve the crimes, or follow his heart?[on hiatus due to minor writer’s block]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi, i really shouldn’t be starting another story considering im in the middle of another one. buT i never listen to myself anyway, so why not
> 
> i really hope things make sense, lmao. most, if not all, of my knowledge on crimes and crime scenes comes from tv shows i watch

"Barry? Can I open the door?"

Barry's eyes were downcast on the beige carpet in front of him. There were still small splinters from when the coffee table was smashed. Even though the event was months ago, the memory of the break-in was still fresh in his mind. It was part of the reason he was certain that the person on the other side of the door was someone coming to check up on him. Most likely Caitlin. She knew firsthand what it was like losing a mate due to death. Instead of the usual ignoring guests, however, Barry got off the couch and opened the door. His assumption was partially right. Caitlin was there, but so were Iris and Cisco. The two omega women gave Barry a small smile, while the beta male was just watching him carefully.

"Hi, Barry," Iris spoke up. "Can we come in?"

"Yeah," Barry said softly, standing to the side to allow the three to enter his apartment. He scratched the back of his neck, sighing softly as he closed the door. After locking the knob, he also locked the two other locks he'd had recently installed, the fear of another break-in still making his hands shake. It was the reason he also had stronger locks put on his windows. Once making sure the door was locked, Barry led his guests into the kitchen. "Do you guys want anything to eat? Drink? I could use with keeping my hands busy."

"Whatever you're having will be fine," Caitlin answered softly as the three guests sat down at the table. "How are you holding up?"

"I'll learn to be fine," Barry answered, staring down at the counter as he made them all a cup of coffee with the pot he just recently made. The shaking in his hands had grown significantly less noticeable, but it was still there as he poured creamer into three of the four mugs. In the other mug, he poured milk before handing that one to Cisco. He gave the girls their coffee, but still didn't sit down. Leaning against the counter, Barry took a sip of his coffee, trying his best not to remember the way Patty took her coffee.

"You know Patty wouldn't want you to keep moping," Iris said gently. "She's said herself that if anything were to happen to her on the job, she didn't want you to lock yourself away."

Barry smiled sadly. Iris was right. When Barry and Patty had met, it was because she had become Joe's new partner at the Central City Police Department. After they had met, everything fell together quickly. One of their biggest things they bonded over was how rare alpha females and omega males were. Honestly speaking, it was part of the reason they had started their courtship in the first place. It had taken them awhile to mate, though, because Patty didn't want Barry hurting too badly if anything were to happen to her while she was out on the job. In the end, it had taken a year of convincing to get Patty to agree to mate with him. Because, quite frankly, Patty was _it_ for him. He didn't want anyone else.

Of course, there was the time when he was younger, when he was certain he was going to mate with Iris when they got old enough. His dreams end up getting crushed when they both presented as omegas. While omega couples did happen, they were _extremely_ rare. Most of the time, omegas either mated with alphas or betas. The latter, of course, being less common but still happened. Omegas just didn't mate with one another. Iris had been courting Eddie when he had died, so while she didn't _exactly_ understand the depth of losing a mate like Barry and Caitlin did, she was still a wonderful support.

"I know," Barry said, his voice soft as he stared down at his coffee. It was half gone without him really registering the heat of the liquid sliding down his throat. "Iris, I just...I'm not sure if I'll ever be fully okay again. Patty was my soulmate. My other half. I just...feel so hollow." He sat down at the table and sighed softly.

Caitlin laid her hand on his and gently squeezed it. "I know what you're going through," she said after a moment of thought. "The hollowness, the feeling like everything won't be okay again, it will pass. Just look at me. I lost Ronnie as a mate, and I was such a mess, but now I'm courting Julian. I found happiness along the way."

Biting his bottom lip, Barry let out a soft sigh through his nose. "I know. I do understand, Cait, I'm just...at this point in time, I don't think I'll be able to ever find another mate. Patty and I were meant to be with one another until we were old and grey, with our pups taking care of us. But she died before we could start our family."

"Have you considering moving back in with Joe?" Iris asked. "Maybe getting out of the apartment will do you some good. I know it isn't easy to look around and see Patty wherever you turn. All the memories you two had before she died."

"I have thought about it," Barry admitted. He then swallowed thickly. "Right now, I don't think I will, though. It's only been two months since she died. I kind of still need more time to think about where I want to go with my life without her now. Besides, no offense to Joe, but I look at him and see Patty. Like after Eddie died, Iris was always saying that she saw him next to dad."

The girls both nodded in acceptance. Barry gave Cisco a small smile, who smiled back. He had been quiet the whole time, and Barry was curious as to what he was thinking about that made him keep quiet.

"What's on your mind?" Barry asked Cisco, furrowing his eyebrows. "You've been quiet this whole time. That's rather unlike you."

Cisco chuckled softly. "I, um. I mated with someone the other day, but with everything that's been happening, I felt it was a little inappropriate to bring up."

Sitting up in his seat, Barry smiled at Cisco. "You mated? Cisco, you didn't have to keep quiet about that. If anything, I'd more than welcome the good news. Who'd you mate with? The alpha you've been talking to?"

"Yeah. Her name's Lisa Snart." Cisco was blushing. "Our mating was a bit of a last minute of a decision, but neither of us regret it."

"I'm happy for you," Barry said sincerely, the smile on his face feeling genuine for the first time in awhile. "Seriously, Cisco. If any of you have good news, don't be afraid to tell me, please. I welcome any good news."

"Well, we'll keep that in mind," Iris stated with a grin.

**~*~**

Pushing open the door of Jitters, Barry let his eyes scan over the lobby of the coffee shop before landing on the menu board. Even though he had been in the shop multiple times and got the same thing every time, he couldn't help but automatically let his eyes scan over the options. His usual look over halted when he saw someone new standing behind the counter. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, keeping any loose hair out of her face. Black glasses framed bright blue eyes that were filled with mirth, despite working the morning shift in a coffee shop. The new girl was working with Iris and a couple other girls, and they both were rather comfortable around her, a sign they knew each other for longer than the current shift. Making his way over, Barry gave the girl a small smile.

"Hello," he greeted. "I don't mean to sound rude, but are you new here? I'm here every day and I've never seen you before."

"Oh! Yeah, I am. I'm Felicity," the girl introduced with a wide smile. "I've been here before, but training in the back. Today's the first day I've been allowed to work counter. Well, allowed makes it sound like I was banned before. But I wasn't, I just wasn't properly trained yet. Not to say I wasn't trained right, I just wasn't fully trained yet."

"I get it," Barry said, laughing softly. "It's lovely to meet you, Felicity. I'm Barry Allen. I'm Iris's foster brother."

"Ah, so you're the brother she's always talking about. Well it's lovely to formally meet you." Felicity noticed the line behind Barry and blushed hotly. "What can I get you? I don't really want to get in trouble for holding the line up talking."

Barry couldn't stop smiling as he placed his usual order, plus a chocolate muffin to eat. After getting his order, Barry moved to an open table and sat down. Usually, he'd get his coffee and head to work, but he wasn't needed at the precinct quite yet, so he had some time to kill. Eating slowly, Barry let his eyes scan once more over the people in the coffee shop. It seemed to be more packed than usual, which was a bit odd, but Barry never really stuck around long enough to see how busy it usually was in the morning, anyway. There was a buzz of chatter going on, and it made Barry curious. Finally, his eyes landed on the large TV that had the news playing. Due to the noise level, he wasn't able to make out anything the reporter was saying, but based on the title of the piece, and the drawing that was shown, it was yet another report on Central City's newest hero– the Hood.

"I don't care much for the name they gave him," a female voice spoke up, startling Barry from his thoughts. He looked up to see Felicity standing next to him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. We just calmed down, so I was able to slip away. I hope you don't mind me coming over here."

"Oh, not at all," Barry was quick to soothe. "I, um. What do you mean by not liking his name? What's wrong with it?"

"There's nothing wrong with it, really. It's just...not that good? It's like calling Iron Man 'suit'." Felicity sat down across from Barry. "For reporters, they're not very creative."

"What do you suggest?" Barry asked, unable to help the smile that filled his face. There was something about Felicity that made him relax in any way. He hadn't felt that way about anybody since he met Patty. "If you're going to criticize the news about a name, surely you must have something better."

"Maybe something that has to do with arrows. Because, you know, he does his thing with a bow and arrow." She stole a piece from Barry's chocolate muffin, smirking a little as she ate it.

"Oh yeah? Weren't you just saying something about Iron Man and his suit? By naming him after his weapon, isn't that similar to calling Captain America 'shield'." Barry quirked an eyebrow.

"Well his name couldn't be shield anyway, considering, you know, S.H.I.E.L.D," Felicity said, smirk widening a little bit. "Anyway, enough about superheroes. I want to hear something about that's not from Iris. What do you do?"

"I'm a CSI at CCPD. I've been there since I was about twenty-three, and now at twenty-seven, I can officially say I'm the head of the department," Barry stated proudly. "I'm actually the first omega to be the head of CSI here in Central City. The precinct threw me a party and everything."

"Oh, wow. Congratulations! That's awesome." Felicity was smiling wide. "Now I'm the one sorry if this sounds rude, but you don't strike me as an omega. I thought you were a beta at first sight, in all honesty."

"Oh, that's mainly because of the suppressants I take. Considering there aren't a ton of male omegas out in the world, I tend to not exactly shout it out," Barry explained. "Well, that, and I try to not be all...submissive appearing in public? If that any makes sense, which it probably doesn't."

"No. No, it does. Make sense, that is. My friend's sister is an omega and she's the exact same way. I thought she was an alpha at first, in all honesty. If it makes you feel any better telling me what you are, then I'm telling you that I'm a beta. Not the most thrilling one out there, but I don't have to deal with ruts or heats or anything. Which is nice. I'm rambling now, aren't I?"

"Yeah you are, but it's alright. I have a tendency to ramble, as well, so I'm used to it." Barry chuckled.

"You said you're twenty-seven, are you mated by any chance? Omegas are usually mated by their mid-twenties. Of course, you're allowed to be the exception because there's not exactly any rules for mating. I'm a twenty-five year old unmated beta. And I just realised how incredibly insensitive my question came out, I'm really sorry. You don't have to answer that."

"It's okay, Felicity. And I was mated to a wonderful alpha. Unfortunately, I lost her a couple months ago." Barry smiled sadly. "I'm still learning to live without her, but each day has slowly gotten better. Or at least I pretend it does."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry," Felicity apologized quickly, eyes wide.

"No, it's alright. I mean, it was bound to come out eventually. It's not exactly an unknown thing to happen considering she was a police officer." Barry shrugged, looking down at the table. "Is it okay if we talk about something else?"

"Yeah, of course." Felicity's voice was soft. She then bit her bottom lip, thinking for a moment. "Oh! Well. My friend is having a get together soon, and I was wondering if we, you know, end up talking more, if you'd like to join."

"We just met," Barry half-heartedly teased. "But that sounds nice. I'm always being told I need to get out more, anyway." He cleared his throat softly. "Have you lived here all your life, or just recently move here?"

"Just recently moved here. I'm from Star City. I came here with some friends. Star City is kind of...messy right now, so we all wanted a fresh start," Felicity answered. "So far, though, I'm the only one with a...stable job."

"At a coffee shop." Barry scrunched his nose playfully, smiling as Felicity just laughed. "Seriously, though, what made you choose Jitters of all places to work?"

"The homey feel of it." Felicity shrugged, smiling as she looked around. "I should get back. I'm probably being cursed at by the others because I've been out here for too long, despite the sudden lull of customers."

Barry pulled out his phone and handed it to Felicity. "Here, type in your number so we can still talk and whatnot. Maybe then I'll decide if I want to come with you to your friend's get together."

Grinning, Felicity did just that. "I hope we keep in touch, Barry. You're a great guy. I'm sorry, again, for prying earlier."

"It's okay, Felicity, really. It was nice to meet you," Barry said, giving Felicity a hug.

"Likewise." Felicity turned and walked back to the counter, a smile on her face.

A matching one was on Barry's face as he watched her walk away. He was startled once more when another female approached him.

"So. I see you've met Felicity," Iris said, smiling as she watched Barry turn to face her. "She's a nice girl."

"Iris," Barry said sternly, giving her a look.

"I didn't mean like that." Iris lightly hit Barry's arm. "You deserve to leave your apartment more. Make new friends. Maybe seeing new faces will do you well."

"Yeah, maybe," Barry agreed. He sighed softly, finishing both his coffee and muffin before standing up. "I should get to work soon. Singh may have said I didn't need to come into work as early today, but I kind of don't want to push his generosity."

"Have a good day, Barry." Iris gave Barry a hug before sighing softly and getting back to work.

Barry watched her for a moment before biting his bottom lip and throwing away his trash. With one last glance to the TV, he exited the shop. Unable to help himself, his mind went to the Hood. The hero had arrived in Central City only a month ago, and the police had some sort of grudge over him. Barry supposed it was the way he went about his actions. The Hood didn't seem to have any qualms about killing when necessary, which understandably made cops nervous. Barry himself had cleaned up and processed quite a few crime scenes concerning the man, and while he was nervous about him, he was also extremely curious. Also thankful, if he was being honest. While the Hood didn't seem to mind killing, he also did a lot of good. Saving people when he could, and making sure the bad guys got what they deserved. In a way, Barry considered him to be a self-proclaimed cop of sorts. Joe didn't care much for the Hood, but Barry made sure to never bring up his fascination for the vigilante in front of his foster dad.

The minute Barry stepped into CCPD, he was immediately turned around and directed to go to a crime scene. Ironically enough, the scene was one the Hood was just at recently. _'Speak of the devil, and he may appear,'_ Barry thought to himself. Joe was already on scene by the time he got there. The victim was a thirty year old man, with a single arrow in his throat. Furrowing his eyebrows, Barry set his bag down before looking over the arrow that was sticking out of the man's throat. Joe was watching him quietly, but not interrupting any.

"This isn't the Hood's," Barry spoke up after a moment. "It's not green, like his usually are. It's...black. Although, everything else is almost exactly how the Hood usually does things. I'd say we either have an apprentice, or a copycat. I'll have to look over the evidence more to give you a more concrete answer." He stood up, letting his eyes scan over the footprints left on the scene. "It looks like the footprints are all the victim's. I'd say the killer shot from higher up. Based on blood splatter, I'd say..." He pointed up towards a nearby balcony in the alleyway. "Right there. I'm sure if we look up there, we'll find something."

"There aren't any security cameras in this part of the alley," an officer came over and stated. "We're scanning the area for any possible witnesses, but so far, we're coming up empty. Looks like whoever did this did their homework."

Barry let out a sigh, slipping on a pair of gloves. "There's too little blood for where the arrow was shot. He should've bled out more."

"He doesn't look like he's been moved at all," Joe said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"That's what I was thinking. Makes me think he suffered a blood loss elsewhere, ran this way, and got shot and killed. The killer might have a partner. One who did the initial blood draw, and then the killer. I'm leaning more towards an apprentice than a copycat at this point." Barry eyed the arrow without taking it out. "Have the coroner send me the arrow once he takes it out. I want to take a closer look at it. Maybe it's made the same way as the Hood's."

"If it is, would that give you the answer of 'apprentice or copycat'?" Joe asked, teasing a bit.

Barry chuckled softly. "Yes, honestly. But until then, I still need to look around and gather what anything I think could be evidence. Some of this blood might not even the victim's." After taking a few pictures of the crime scene, he took a closer peek at the man's neck wound. "It looks like there's more than one wound on his neck. It looks just as fresh, but there are a couple that look older and healed over."

"What are they?" Joe asked, peeking over Barry's shoulder.

"Like puncture wounds." Barry looked up at Joe. "Something with fangs, I'm assuming. Maybe a snake of some kind. Although I'm not sure what kind. I won't know until he's in the morgue. I'm going to take a wild guess and say it might be part of the reason he died. Maybe one of the men was torturing him with snakes? When he ran away, the other one took him out to keep him quiet."

"This is sounding like something from a bad TV show." Joe stood up straight, letting out a sigh. "I'm going to help the others scan the surrounding area. Maybe there's a nearby camera that caught something."

"I thought there wasn't any in this area?"

"There isn't, but depending on where he ran from, there might be something that caught this man before his death." Joe gently squeezed Barry's shoulder before walking away.

Barry let out a sigh, staring down at the man. He spent a bit longer collecting any and all evidence he could before allowing the coroner to collect the body. Looking up at the balcony he was certain the archer had been, Barry wondered how the man was able to get in and out, and where his partner had been. Without saying anything, Barry snuck into the building and made his way up to the room. Peeking around the corner, he made sure there was nobody inside before walking into room. The whole apartment was trashed from top to bottom, beer bottles broken or scattered along the dirty and muddy floor. Trash collected in piles in small piles throughout, rats scattering from spot to spot, eating rotten food off the floor. The whole place reeked of mold and stale beer, making Barry gag on the smell. But he still continued in, walking softly as he kept his guard up. Finally, he walked over to the balcony. As he predicted, there was footprints on the concrete, but they didn't lead or come from anywhere. In fact, they were just in the one spot where Barry assumed he had shot from.

"Where did you come from?" he whispered to himself, taking a picture of them. Hearing something behind him, Barry froze. It was times like those where he both cursed not carrying a gun, and also his curiosity.

"Barry, what did I tell you about going into an unknown location at a crime scene without protection or back-up?" Joe asked, his voice making Barry relax.

"Well, to be fair, I mentioned where the killer was, and nobody made any move to come up here. So I did it myself." Barry grinned. "Anyway, it looks like the killer just jumped here and jumped out. There aren't any similar prints anywhere else. And I doubt I'll find any blood or prints up here, but I'll still look."

"Could it be the Hood? Some witnesses have said he has arrows that help him swing from building to building."

"Like Spider-Man with his webbing?" Barry asked with a grin. It quickly disappeared when Joe gave him a look. "I can't help it that comic books helped get me through high school."

Rolling his eyes fondly, Joe stepped closer to Barry. "Be careful, Bear. With this killer out on the loose, along with the Hood, Central's getting dangerous. I just want you to be okay. I know you don't like guns, but can you at least carry around some pepper spray?"

"Yeah, I can. I'll swing by the store on my way home later and pick a can up." Barry gave Joe a strained smile. "I've been meaning to, anyway. Ever since...you know."

Joe rubbed Barry's back. "Yeah, I know. Have you been getting enough rest lately?"

"I've been getting enough," Barry agreed, a little too easily. "My bed's too cold, so I bought a heated blanket. It helps a little. I now get four hours of sleep a night instead of two."

"You know my home's always open."

"Yeah, Joe, I know. And I really appreciate it, but...I can't. Not right now, at least. The apartment...it has so much Patty in it, and I feel like it'd be betraying her to move out so soon after her death. She decorated it." Barry bit his bottom lip roughly. "Maybe at a future point, but...not right now."

"Alright."

Joe gave him a small smile before walking back down to the street. Barry turned around and continued collecting evidence. He couldn't help but wonder just who exactly would kill an innocent man, or even where the puncture wounds came from.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, im not trained in this type of thing at all, so tbh, please pretend my jibberish makes sense
> 
> also
> 
> IM SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT. tbh part of it was because of olivarry week, and another part was just because i was stuck, lol

"I don't get it," Barry muttered to himself, staring at the results on his computer screen. He kept staring at it, like it would change the longer he looked at it. "The saliva...that's _impossible_."

Quickly, he printed out the results and put everything he had gathered into a folder before rushing down to Captain Singh's office. He knocked twice before entering. Singh looked up from where he was eating his lunch, looking cross at being interrupted. "What is it, Allen?"

"I ran tests on the saliva that came from our most recent victim. I wanted to see what type of snake it came from," Barry explained, pulling out the results he just printed out before handing them to his boss. "The saliva's human. Whatever bit the victim, it came from a person, not a snake."

"You pulled the saliva from fang marks," Singh reminded.

"Yeah, I'm aware. I'm thinking someone either has really good fakes, or they did something to their teeth. It's rare, but I've heard about when I was still in college." He realised he was smiling a little, and quickly cleared his throat. "Also, I examined the arrow that was pulled from the body, and it's not a match to the Hood's. The arrow tip is much slimmer, plus it's made of a slightly different material that lets the arrow fly through the air much quicker. Almost like it's floating on air. Granted, unlike the Hood's, it doesn't pack _as much_ of a punch, but it still gets the job done."

"So, we're looking at a copycat."

"A copycat with help." Barry grimaced a little. "One is the archer, and one is the, well biter."

"So, we've got a vampire and an archer on the loose?" Singh stated flatly.

"Well, when you put it like that, it just sounds silly." Barry laughed awkwardly before he realised the captain wasn't even as much as smiling. "Anyway. I'm guessing they have some sort of base. It would explain the little amount of blood that was found at the scene."

"Did you find anything else?" Singh asked, handing the paper back to Barry so he could slip it back into the file.

"Yes, actually. While I didn't find any fingerprints anywhere, there was a hair on the victim's clothing. I couldn't find a match to the DNA, but I can tell you that the hair is red, but the natural hair color is blonde."

"Well that narrows it down," Singh drawled sarcastically.

"The, um. The shoe prints I found on the balcony were a size 6," Barry continued on, his cheeks slightly pink.

"So, a female archer?"

"More than likely. And based on the length of the hair sample, you're either looking for another female, or a long-haired male."

"Is that all, Mr. Allen?"

"Yes, sir," Barry replied, playing with the folder in his hands before handing it over to Singh. "I, um. I'm going now." He hurried out of the captain's office and closed the door before letting out a sigh. Talking to his boss always seemed to rattle his nerves, no matter how often he did it. "This case is way too weird for my liking," he muttered, heading back up to his lab.

**~*~**

"Hey, Barry, are you available to come downtown with Kara and I tonight?" Iris asked, munching on some Chex Mix she had in a plastic baggie. "There's a new club that opened this past weekend, and we wanted to check it out yet."

"I'm not sure," Barry said, keeping his eyes down on what he was working on.

"C'mon, Barry. You only ever go to work and back," Iris said, sighing softly afterwards. "Look, we're not trying to set you up with anybody, I promise. We just want to have some fun with you. We understand it's only been a few months, and it's still hard, but we also are trying to help you."

Barry bit his bottom lip roughly. "Alright, I guess it wouldn't hurt. But you can't try to set me up."

"Bear, we wouldn't. I swear to you that we won't try to set you up with anybody for the next year," Iris promised, smiling. "But that doesn't mean we can't point out cute people."

Smiling, Barry finished up his work before standing up from the desk. The two of them stepped out of the study and walked towards Barry's room. Iris and Barry never had problems changing in front of one another. They had grown up together, and were close siblings, that it was never really a problem, anyway. Most of the time, Barry even helped Iris into different tight clothes.

Like now for instance.

"You know, this dress makes your figure look amazing, but it's such a pain to zip up," Barry said, laughing under his breath as he zipped up the dress for the girl. She was in a red dress that clung to her curves and always made people look at her- which he supposed was her intention. He himself was in a maroon V-neck that clung to him, showing off his neck and his (fading) mate mark. Paired with were a pair of tight black skinny jeans. Why Iris insisted on them wearing such tight clothes, he'd never understand.

"I know, but I look hot." Iris grinned, finishing up her hair. "Can I mess with your hair, please? You've left it floppy since you mated with Patty."

"Floppy?"

"Yeah, like down and in your face and whatnot." Iris grabbed the hair gel and held it up hopefully.

"Yeah, sure." Barry sat down on the edge of the tub for Iris to reach his hair. He made sure to keep still as Iris messed with his hair, raking her fingers through his hair so it'd stay out his eyes. While he'd never admit it aloud, Iris was correct in her statements. Ever since he mated with Patty, he had a tendency to not care about his outward appearance much. Plus, the fact that Patty had recently died, and Barry was still mourning didn't help his urge to take care of himself didn't help.

Barry was well aware of the fact that Iris and everybody else was only trying to help. He couldn't really fault them for that, and he really did appreciate all their efforts. Still, though, Barry wanted nothing more than to just curl in a ball on his bed for a while and cry for a bit. Of course, he had already done that. Numerous times.

"Any chance I could possibly back out last minute?" Barry asked hopefully, smiling a little at Iris's disapproving look.

"You could, in theory. But you're not going to, are you?" Iris fixed him with a look that had him shrinking a little bit where he was still sitting on the edge of the tub.

"No, of course not. Why would I do that?" Barry asked, smiling innocently.

"Good. Now, we're meeting Kara at her place, so let me finish up while you go start the car," Iris instructed, pushing Barry out of the bathroom.

"Yes, ma'am," Barry muttered, but he was smiling wide. After grabbing his wallet and phone off the charger from his bedroom, Barry went into the kitchen to grab his keys. There was a pile of dishes in the sink that Barry still had to wash, and he felt a slight pang in his chest from leaving the house when it was dirty, but he squished it down before heading out of his apartment and down to the parking lot.

Iris came out not long later, having promised to have locked all the windows and the front door before leaving the complex. The trip to Kara's apartment complex wasn't very long, and they waited in the car while Iris shot her a quick text. Kara appeared not five minutes later, grinning as she slipped into the backseat of Barry's car.

"I feel slightly underdressed," Kara commented, wearing a pair of light wash skinny jeans, and yellow blouse.

"You look great, don’t worry. Iris just likes tight clothes," Barry joked, laughing when Iris playfully hit his arm. "I'm convinced that's her favorite dress."

"Oh, it is." Iris laughed. "I was wearing it when I met Eddie, remember?"

Barry smirked a little, but kept his focus on driving. Iris and Kara talked a little bit, especially concerning how Kara still wanted to find herself a mate. She was a quiet beta, but still looked for a mate of some kind. Barry let his own mind wander, wondering if he'd ever find another mate, no matter what they were.

Pulling into the club's parking lot, Barry's eyes widened a little when he saw just how busy it was. "Is this opening night?"

"No. I was hoping waiting a bit would thin the crowds some, but it looks like I was wrong," Iris answered, eyes scanning the crowd.

"Doesn't Oliver and Thea Queen own this club?" Kara asked from the backseat. "They could be why it's so packed. Everybody and anybody could be hoping to see them."

"Why are the Queens in Central? I thought their stomping grounds were in Starling?" Barry's eyebrows furrowed, but he was able to find a parking spot somewhat easily.

"I thought they moved here recently because of Moira's recent passing? Something about wanting to get out of the city because of that," Iris answered, but she still looked rather confused. "Why they would open a club so soon after moving, though, is a little confusing."

"Who knows," Barry muttered. He shut off the car and they all got out.

The club- The Verdant- had a long entrance line, and Barry was a bit worried that they'd never make it inside before closing. Iris and Kara were still chatting about miscellaneous things that Barry didn't seem to be able to really zone in on. Luckily for them, though, the line moved somewhat quickly, and they were able to get inside in a reasonable amount of time.

The music was loud, and the heavy bass of the current song playing made Barry's head thump along, but it wasn't too much to be unpleasant. People were various degrees of intoxicated, and people were dancing and having fun on the floor. The bar was crowded, and almost every booth was taken. The trio managed to find a small table near the edge of the floor to huddle by for the time being.

"Wow, this place is popular," Kara commented, just loud enough for the other two to be able to hear her. "First round's on me."

Iris and Barry nodded, watching her make her way over to the bar. Iris smirked at Barry, making him hold back a groan. "Don't say it, Iris."

"But _what if_ Oliver is here? You and I both know how much you have the hots for him," she teased.

"Iris, I'm really not ready for any of that right now. Can you please stop?"

Iris looked at him a minute before nodding. "Yeah, of course. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"It's not your fault. I appreciate the thought, though. I just...I need more time."

"Of course."

Kara came back, thankfully, and set the drinks down in front of her. "The bartender is Thea," she said in a bit of disbelief. "She also said they're hiring, so if either of you need a job change, I imagine they pay well enough."

Barry laughed. "No way am I giving up my job for being a bartender. I have enough nightly duties with that."

Iris smirked. "Yeah. I deal with hangovers enough at Jitters, I don't really want to see the before here."

"I saw a really cute guy over there. He was there with some other woman, but he kept giving me these looks as I was waiting for our drinks," Kara said, sipping at hers while glancing over at the bar.

"Go get him, killer," Barry said, grinning. "The goal tonight is to have fun. According to Iris, that is. Just text either of us if you can if he ends up being a creeper or something, and we'll help. Or text us if you're heading out with him."

"I will." She quickly finished her drink before heading over to where Barry assumed the man was.

Barry turned back to Iris. "So, do you have any ulterior motives for tonight?"

Iris snorted before shaking her head. "Nah. Like I told you, tonight is just about having fun. Plus, I like seeing you smile. You haven't done it much recently, and it's seriously starting to worry me."

"I smile plenty," Barry defended himself. "Maybe I do need to leave the apartment more, though."

Iris's smile was kind. "I know it's difficult. And like I said earlier, we won't ever pressure you into doing anything you're not ready for. We just want to see you in a better headspace."

"I know, but don't become my babysitter tonight, either. Let yourself have some fun."

Iris pressed her lips together in a poorly concealed smile before nodding. "Okay. Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"I promise."

Iris smiled at him before finishing the last of her drink before pushing through people to the dancefloor. Barry let out a soft sigh, his own having barely been touched. He took a sip before he accidentally made eye contact with someone at a nearby table. Blushing, he looked away. By that point, Barry was aware that the blush probably looked like it came from somewhere else, but he knew it was just from embarrassment. Still, though, Barry did his best not to look back over that direction.

When he was about halfway through his drink, the person from earlier was standing at the table, smiling politely at Barry. "Hi, I couldn't help but notice you earlier. Would you like to dance?"

Barry let his eyes roam over the guy. His hair was jet black, and cropped rather short. His eyes were an almost too bright shade of blue, and they were surrounded by a gorgeous set of eyelashes- almost like he applied mascara to make them darker. His full lips were pulled into a smile, a hint of a dimple appearing on the right side of his mouth. The man was only about an inch taller than Barry, and a little bit wider, but the way that he carried himself made Barry feel slightly intimidated. But not uncomfortably slow.

"Yeah, alright," Barry agreed, finishing the last little bit of his drink before sliding his hand into the tanned one that was offered to him. He was led onto the dance floor, and Barry did everything in his power so the dancing wouldn't turn into anything more.

"I'm Isaac, by the way," the man told him as him and Barry danced close to one another.

"Barry," the brunet replied, a light blush on his cheeks from the intensity of Isaac's gaze.

Isaac, thankfully, picked up on Barry's subtle cues of not wanting anything more out of the dance, which Barry was eternally grateful for. He could spot Iris over Isaac's shoulder, chatting up some redheaded girl near the edge of the floor. He couldn't see Kara anywhere, but if the buzzing he felt in his back pocket earlier was anything to indicate, she most likely wasn't there anyway.

"Barry, can we head home now? I'm not feeling very well," Iris said, suddenly right next to Barry.

"Yeah, of course," Barry was quick to answer. He ignored Isaac in favor of getting Iris out of there, and to the car. After laying her down in the backseat, Barry checked his phone. Kara had gone home with the man- Mike- and told them not to wait for her when they left.

With Iris passed out in the back, Barry drove back to his apartment. Iris was deadweight as he carried her up the stairs. She wasn't waking up at all, and if it weren't for the soft snores every so often, he would've been more worried. For the night, Barry had set her in the guest bedroom after helping out of her dress and into a more comfortable set of pajamas. She had yet to wake up at any of the movement, and Barry briefly wondered how much she had to drink at Verdant. Once she was situated under the covers, Barry his way to his own bedroom.

His room was the largest one in the apartment, only slightly bigger than the guest room. The walls were painted a burnt orange, and the carpet was an ugly shade of beige ("The worst part is we can't rip it out!" Patty had complained when they moved in). The bed sat against the far wall, pressed up against a corner where Barry had shoved it in a moment of weakness. He didn't want the bed exposed because there was no one to climb into that side anymore. Against the wall at where the end of the bed just barely met was their closet. Half of it was still filled neatly with Patty's clothes, and the other half a mess of Barry's. He just couldn't find it in himself to clean out any of her things yet. Even the small jewelry box she kept could still be found sitting on top of their dresser.

The dresser itself was along the wall to his left, the top drawer stuck open from where it couldn't fully close because of a rogue pair of Barry's work socks. They had a small bookshelf that sat against the wall just barely to Barry's right. It was an almost pathetically small little thing that Patty's grandfather had built for her when she was young. It was overflowing with different books from Barry's college days and Patty's various interests, and Barry only still kept it because Patty's family couldn't look at it without breaking down (Barry wasn't much better, but he kept from saying as much).

Letting out a long sigh, Barry skipped a shower in favor of just throwing on a clean pair of pajamas. After brushing his teeth in the nearby bathroom, Barry crawled into the too spacious bed and curled beneath the covers.

**~*~**

As per usual with his morning routine, Barry woke up with enough time to take a shower and make himself a cup of coffee. Iris still was snoozing away in the guest room, but she knew her way around Barry's apartment well enough that he wasn't too concerned with leaving her there to fend for herself. With a mental note that he needed to do more laundry, Barry downed the rest of his coffee and head out the door.

There was a missed call on Barry's phone from a number he didn't recognize, so he didn't bother with calling back. Kara had sent him another text that morning gushing about how she woke up to Mike making breakfast. Barry didn't reply until he was parked at CCPD, but he was happy she found someone she liked.

Joe was already at the station when Barry got there. Barry himself was about ten minutes late, but considering that was on time for him, no one reprimanded him for it.

"We've got a scene," Joe said in lieu of a greeting.

"Well good morning to you, too," Barry drawled.

Joe gave him an unimpressed look before the two of them went right back out the front door. The crime scene was a bit away, but Barry was still somewhat groggy enough to use it as an excuse as to why he wasn't talking. Iris had sent him a quick text thanking him for letting her crash at his place, and Cisco sent a text going on about something concerning _Star Wars_.

When they got to the scene, Barry was slightly taken aback considering it was in an alleyway across from Verdant. He stared at the club before blinking out of his thoughts.

"Everything okay?" Joe asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. It's just...I was there last night," Barry said, nodding towards the club. "This could've been me."

"Yeah, well, let's be thankful it wasn't."

Barry nodded, his legs feeling a bit shaky as they walked towards where the body was. It was covered to protect the evidence, but Barry could see a large blood puddle sticking out from it a bit.

"An arrow was found embedded in the victim's forehead," a nearby cop told them. They were standing far enough away yet that Barry's couldn't really see the victim. "They think it's the same M.O. as the last one. They're not moving anything until Barry does his thing."

"Thank you," Barry said softly before making his way over to where the victim still was. He set his stuff down and slipped on a pair of latex gloves. He froze, suddenly, when he pulled back the tarp and stared down at the now lifeless pair of blue eyes.

"Barry? What's wrong?" Joe asked, noticing Barry's stillness.

Barry stood up slowly, his face pale. "I know the victim. I danced with him last night. His name's Isaac, I'm..." He let out a shaky breath. "Shit, sorry. I'm...I'm going to do my job."

He kneeled back down, ignoring Joe's looks of worry. He collected the evidence he needed, even spotting the familiar pair of fang marks adorning Isaac's neck. Furrowing his eyebrows, Barry looked around at the amount of blood before coming to a conclusion.

"He was killed right here. Although, by the amount of blood on the ground, whatever sucked it out of the last victim didn't do the same thorough job. I'm guessing this one was a rushed, possible last-minute killing," Barry said.

"Security cameras caught two women in here with the victim. The archer shot the cameras out before anything happened, and their faces were covered," the same cop as earlier told Joe.

"So, we're no closer to figuring out who did this?" Joe asked, unimpressed.

"Sorry."

Barry stood up, having already collected everything he needed from the scene. "I'm assuming the arrow is still the same as the one in the last victim. If the archer is a confirmed female, then we already know it's not the Hood."

"Was really hoping we'd catch that guy," Joe muttered before walking away.

Barry pressed his lips together and looked down at Isaac. He was glad, suddenly, that he wasn't the one to have to tell his family about his death. Barry never could do that, if he was being completely honest. He was far too emotional himself to handle seeing anyone else in that type of emotional state.

Once back at CCPD, Barry hid himself away in his lab. The saliva sample he took from Isaac's neck once again led to a dead-end. Sighing, he stared at the empty results pulled up on his computer screen before turning to look at the arrow. It didn't have any fingerprints on it (no surprise there) and they were hand-made, so there was no possible place to track the maker.

All the tests he had to run were still being processed, and he suddenly found himself with not much to do. Biting his bottom lip, he stared at all of his equipment before standing up and heading out the door.

When he got to Jitters, he smiled as the scent of coffee and fresh baked muffins hit his nose. He walked further into the shop and spotted Felicity behind the counter. Grinning, he walked over to where she was working the front counter. "Hey, Felicity."

"Barry! Hey, how are you?" she greeted, grinning back.

"I'm alright. Decided to stop by because I have nothing else to do at the moment. You can only sit and stare at your equipment for so long," Barry said, laughing a little.

"Isn't there other work you could be doing?" Iris asked, quirking an eyebrow from where she was standing near Felicity.

"Probably," Barry admitted, blushing a little. "Anyway, I came to get some tea. And quite possibly a fresh chocolate chip muffin."

Iris quirked an eyebrow, but went about making Barry's usual tea. Felicity rang him up and handed him a muffin. When Iris was done, she handed him his drink before walking off to do something else.

"So how are you liking Central?" Barry asked, watching Felicity wipe down the counter.

"It's great. A lot different than Starling, that's for sure," she replied, almost a tad too giddy. "One of the guys who I moved with got a job since you and I last talked."

"Oh, really? How's that going?"

"It's great! Him and his sister work well together, so."

Barry furrowed his eyebrows. "Him and his sister? This guy wouldn't happen to be Oliver Queen, would it? Because he came to Central not too long ago, and him and his sister just opened that new club recently."

Felicity froze, eyes a little wide as she stared at Barry. "No," she said quickly. She then started backtracking. "I mean yeah, they did, but I'm friends with someone completely different. Definitely not Oliver and Thea Queen."

"Felicity, it's okay. If you're friends with them, that's cool. Although, I wouldn't mention it to Iris because she'd get very jealous."

Felicity giggled. "They're both amazing people, to be honest. Don't believe anything that's said about them."

"Well, if they're friends with you, they must be amazing."

Felicity blushed, looking away from Barry just to look away from him. But Barry could still see her heated cheeks.

"I should get going. Thank you for the food and whatnot." Barry held up his tea and gave her a friendly smile before heading back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what is this mess


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i apologize for the month long wait, that was completely unintentional
> 
> thank you, mike, for looking over this chapter quick for me ^-^

The door shut with a soft _‘click’_ behind him. Making sure all the locks were in place was a ritual he had gotten accustomed to, and it didn’t feel like a chore to do anymore. In fact, it had become such a habit, he didn’t even think twice about doing it anymore.

His feet padded along the carpeted floor, cushioning his feet after toeing off his work shoes. Patty used to say the carpet was almost like walking through sand, it was so soft. All that was missing was the mess that sand brought, and the feeling of it slipping between your toes.

He really missed Patty.

If not her presence in general, the calming way she could bring to Barry. Her natural alpha scent combined with her floral perfume (she could be a tad embarrassed about her woodsy alpha scent at times- most girls smelled like fresh linen, and she smelled like you were walking through the woods after a rainstorm). Barry loved it, and always made sure she knew. The calming effect she had never failed to bring a smile to his face. The perfume had been a Christmas gift from him. Patty was well aware of the fact that Barry preferred her natural smell, but never wanted to make her uncomfortable just for him. She wore it almost everywhere but at home.

Slinking into a chair, Barry let out a long sigh. Touches of Patty still lingered in the apartment, even months after her death. Her favorite coffee mug still sat on the shelf, waiting to be filled with coffee and the rim stained with her favorite red lipstick. Never again would be it used by its owner, forever doomed to sit on the shelf collecting dust unless Barry picked it up.

Pictures of Patty still remained on his phone and on the walls, her beautiful smile immortalized in a simple snapshot. Every day, it seemed like he found another reason to miss her more. Iris said he was simply letting the news sink in gradually, since doing it all at once would be a bit too much for him to handle. He wasn’t quite sure which was the truer statement, but he didn’t sit on it for too long.

Work was hell. Headache after headache, more confusing than the last, Singh had been working him dry to try to find any new leads on the killings. The killer had taken a break after Isaac, and didn’t seem to be making any new moves lately. The most solid thing they had was that it was two females.

Suddenly, all the lights in his apartment cut out, making Barry’s blood turn to ice. While he wasn’t a skilled fighter, he could still hold his own until he could either make it out, or call for help. Barry could hear the muted footsteps walking on the carpet until the clacked on the linoleum kitchen floor. Swallowing thickly, Barry turned, seeing a figure standing just inside the doorway.

“How did you get in here?” he asked, his voice strained as he tried not to panic. The last thing he needed in a situation like this was to have a panic attack. His barely held together fear was hard enough to handle.

“You have information about the two women killers. I need it,” the voice said. It was deeper than a normal person’s, and sounded a bit more robotic. It must be a voice modifier.

“And who are you?” Barry asked. He wasn’t going to just give up police evidence to some stranger.

The hooded man smirked a little, about the only thing Barry could make out in the shadows. “Don’t you watch television?” he asked, teasing.

“Oh, you’re the Hood, aren’t you?” Barry asked. He didn’t have anything in his hands, so he clenched them into fists and hoped the shaking wasn’t too obvious. “How did you get in my house? I have the best locks.”

“Barry-”

“Stop! You shouldn’t have been able to get into my house!” The dam finally broke and he felt the shaking in his hands worsen. “I don’t care who you are, or why you’re here, but you shouldn’t have been able to get in _at all_.”

The Hood went quiet, just watching Barry. Finally, he let out a soft sigh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, or make you panic. Your bedroom window was open, so I popped the screen off and slipped inside.”

Barry swallowed thickly, blinking back tears before just closing his eyes. He forced his breaths to become longer and deeper as he willed himself to calm down. The last thing he needed was to hyperventilate in front of an arrow wielding menace. When he eventually opened his eyes, the Hood was gone and his lights were back on.

After wiping his eyes dry, Barry stood up from his spot and walked into the bedroom. The screen had been put back on, but the window was still open. Quickly closing it, he locked it with the stronger locks and shut the curtains. It was darker in his room with the curtains closed and his bedroom light off, but he felt more comfortable- more contained- when he couldn’t see the outside. As much as he loved working as a forensic scientist, and jailing the people who had killed his mate, he wouldn’t mind spending a day or two in his apartment where nobody could see him break.

Seeing the Hood had been something Barry had always wanted. If he had shown up in Central before Patty had died, he could see them bonding over who it could be under the hood. As it was, his curiosity was mostly kept to himself, and any theories went unsaid as the people he talked to rarely entertained the idea. Iris was a good sounding board, but even she got bored of all the theories. She _had better things to worry about_ , as she would often say.

Needing sound to fill the room and calm his nerves, Barry hooked up his phone to his speaker and played a playlist Patty had made him shortly before she died. It was supposed to be a playlist he would play when she was at work, or off doing something for long periods of time. Thinking about it now, Barry’s glad she made it. While it intensified the longing feelings he had for her, it also made him smile. Patty always cared, and she always would. It was just the kind of person she was.

Laying down on the bed, Barry let out a soft sigh. Iris and Caitlin were coming over to help go through Patty’s clothes. Barry had briefly thought about inviting Felicity over, but he wasn’t sure if they had a close enough relationship for that. Barry had decided that Patty wouldn’t want Barry to keep moping, and instead of giving all her clothes away, Iris and Caitlin could pick through what they wanted before the clothes went to Goodwill. Iris and Caitlin had been initially hesitant, but when Barry explained himself, they eventually agreed. Iris had even cracked a weak joke about Barry getting more closet space.

Picking up his phone, Barry decided _‘fuck it’_ , and sent Felicity a text.

**_[To: Felicity  
going through all of my mate’s clothes with iris and caitlin if you wanted to join. i can't fit into any of them.]_ **

**_[From: Felicity  
lol, are you sure, though? you and i aren't that close...]_ **

**_[To: Felicity  
im positive (: it’ll be this weekend! ill send you my address]_ **

With that done, Barry plugged his phone in and got up to shed off his work clothes. He stood there for a minute, deciding if he wanted to take a quick shower or not, before slipping under the blankets. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow

**~*~**

Barry had debated for a while if he wanted to tell Iris about the Hood coming into his apartment or not. He hadn’t left any trace that he had been there, and Iris would probably worry herself sick at the thought of someone breaking into Barry’s apartment again, so soon after the last time. While Barry appreciated the concern, he didn’t want her mind to be on anything that wasn’t the task at hand.

Caitlin had been the one to suggest allowing Barry to take Patty’s clothes out of the closet and dresser. Iris agreed right away, and they sat patiently on the bed while Barry stared at the open closet in front of him. Felicity was running late, and while Iris seemed surprised he had invited her, she kept her mouth shut. He wasn’t closing himself off like he had for the first month and a half after Patty’s death.

Joe worried that, at first, Barry may have suggested getting rid of Patty’s clothes too soon. Iris was the one to remind him to let Barry take the mourning process at his own pace. Still, though, staring at the clothes, Barry wondered if he was right.

There was a knock on the door, startling Barry from his thoughts, and Iris had been the one to say she was going to go answer the door. Felicity walked in, giving him a small smile where she saw where he was standing.

“I’m proud of you for doing this, Barry,” Felicity said softly, walking over to him and rubbing his back. “I can only imagine how hard this is for you.”

“Extremely,” Barry answered honestly. He gave a bit of a shrug, biting the inside of his cheek as his eyes wandered over everything in the closet. “I know Patty wouldn’t want me to stay hung up on her death. And it’s still hard not having her here, but I need to do this before I chicken out. And I know that her clothes will still get good use out of them, which is why I invited you three here.”

Felicity kissed his cheek before sitting with the others on his bed. He was aware of the fact that they really didn’t care if they ended up with the clothes or not. They were more here for moral support as Barry made his way through his dead mate’s clothes. In a way, he almost felt a bit cruel for asking them to do this, but he did want to see Patty’s favorite clothes end up with the other girls in his life.

Taking a shaky breath, Barry started pulling things out of the closet and setting them on the bed by the girls. He could hear them talking softly with one another as he pulled things out. There was a nearby bathroom where a few times, the three of them would disappear to try things on. For the most part, it went fairly easy. They didn’t pressure Barry into anything, or even playfully bicker over the clothes. Barry considered himself lucky that the clothes seemed to fit any of the three easily enough.

As Barry got to the end of the closet, he couldn’t help but pause when he came to a dress that was in a bag. Furrowing his eyebrows, Barry brought the bag closer before unzipping it. When he saw the white material spill out, tears, instantly, were in his eyes.

“Barry?” Iris asked softly, walking over and putting her hands on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

“No,” Barry whispered. “This was Patty’s mother’s wedding dress. She always talked about how gorgeous it was, but I never knew it was given to her. She must’ve wanted to wear it if we ever decided to get married.”

Iris gently squeezed his shoulders. “Why don’t you keep it in there, then? I’m sure Patty’s mom would be okay if it stayed in your closet.”

“You sure it would be okay?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t think so otherwise.” Iris noticed the shaking in Barry’s hands, so she decided to zip the bag up for him and put the dress back where Barry had found it.

“Iris, you don’t think I did this too early, do you?” Barry asked, a little scared for the answer.

“No. Everyone grieves at different paces, Barry. You can go through her closet at whatever point you feel most comfortable in. If you’re having regrets, we can always put the clothes back in the closet,” Iris answered, giving him a small smile.

“No, no. It’s alright. I kind of think I needed to do it. There’s so much Patty here in the apartment. I was having a difficult enough time getting dressed in the morning with all the reminders.” Barry took a shaky breath. “Did you guys divide it all?”

Iris’s eyes searched Barry’s for a while before she nodded. “Yeah. Honestly, we still feel guilty for taking the clothes.”

“Don’t,” Barry told her honestly before smiling at both Caitlin and Felicity. “I’d rather have my other girls taking the clothes they want. It’s a bit healing to _see_ her clothes get more use.”

“Okay.” Iris kissed his cheek. “Just know we’re always here for you, Barry, and if there’s anything you want us to return to you, we’ll hand it back, no questions asked.”

“Yeah, I know.” Barry gave her a weak smile before letting out a shaky breath. “Alright. What do you guys need help carrying?”

**~*~**

His apartment felt empty, so he decided to take a walk downtown.

The fresh air was definitely a big help, and seeing all the shops was lifting his mood. There were a lot of people milling about, and seeing all the kids brought a smile to Barry’s face. Especially if they were near the _Cold Stone_ store.

It was getting closer to summer, and the kids would soon be released from school. Barry briefly wished the killers would be caught before the kids were out of school. The last thing he needed was to find a child’s body while working. He isn’t quite sure if he’d ever be able to handle seeing that.

Barry continued walking until he saw a bookstore and decided to head inside. He didn’t really need any more books, but it was still a comforting atmosphere. There was an older lady sitting behind the counter, and she gave him a warm smile before going back to the book she was holding in her hands. Barry found himself smiling as he walked further into the store.

Stacks and stacks of books were littered throughout the shelves in the store, making Barry chuckle a bit as his eyes scanned what titles he could see. It was a difficult task, but seeing who own and ran the store, Barry couldn’t even be bothered by it.

“It’s a bit crazy in here, isn’t it?” a male voice asked from near him.

Barry’s head spun until his green eyes were meeting a beautiful, yet somewhat familiar, shade of blue. He could feel his cheeks slowly turn red as he managed a chuckle. “Yeah, but it’s a good crazy. Makes it feel homier with the less organized shelves. I know my bookshelves at home look a lot like these.”

Oliver laughed. “Yeah, I’d have to agree. Although it drives my sister nuts how bad I organize things, so she’ll always go through and do it herself.”

Barry couldn’t help the giggle. “That sounds like my sister, too. Although she’s given up on me.” He then held out his hand. “I’m Barry.”

“I’m Oliver,” the older man replied, shaking Barry’s hand. “Although, I have a feeling you already knew that.”

“I had a feeling.” Barry stuck in his hands into his pockets. “So what brings you into this shop? I’m sure you could go to the very nice _Barnes and Noble_ that’s in the nearby mall.”

“I like to help the small businesses here in town.” The tone in his voice rang sincerity, and Barry couldn’t help it as his smile widened in response.

“Aw, that’s sweet. And here I didn’t think Oliver Queen was capable of being so sweet on little ol’ ladies,” Barry teased, lightly bumping shoulders with Barry. “Didn’t you just open a club? How’s that going?”

“Great. I think a lot of people going there are going because it’s run and owned by Thea and I, but we’re raking it in while they keep coming. People have been leaving great reviews, so we’re confident that people will keep coming after the awe wears off,” Oliver answered.

“Was it affected at all by the murder?” Barry asked, taken off guard when Oliver gave him a weird look. “I’m a CSI at CCPD, and we investigated a body in the alley across the street from your club. It was...the guy was...he was _there_.”

“You seem particularly shaken up by this.” Oliver quirked an eyebrow.

“Well I danced with the guy who was murdered,” Barry said honestly. “I just...sorry, I really shouldn’t be surprised that Oliver Queen’s business didn’t take a hit despite one of its customers being killed after they left the building.”

“And...what do you mean by that?”

Realising what kind of hole he had just dug for himself, Barry swallowed thickly before standing up straighter to look at Oliver. “I mean that someone who went to your club, and spent money there, died the same night he was there, and his body was found across the street. It doesn’t surprise me that your precious club wasn’t affected by it, is all.”

Oliver had a blank expression on his face, and his lack of response made Barry a bit scared. Finally, Oliver gave him a very tense smile. “Think what you want about me and my club, Mr. Allen, but I can assure you that I had no part of it.”

“I never told you my last name.”

“What?”

“You called me Mr. Allen. I never told you that my last name was Allen.” Barry narrowed his eyes. Oliver’s jaw twitched a little, probably a nervous tick that happened when he wasn’t being fully honest, but Barry didn’t comment on it. Instead, he gave the man an opening. “Felicity’s mentioned me, hasn’t she?”

Relief filled Oliver’s face as he smiled. “Yes. A lot, actually. She’s rather fond of you, despite the short amount of time you’ve known each other.”

“I’m fond of her, too.” Barry smiled, but his mind was spinning with many different reasons for Oliver’s slip-up. “Well, I better get going. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Barry walked past him and gave the lady a polite smile before slipping out the door. There was a weird vibe surrounding Oliver Queen, and Barry couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The minute the man had returned home after five years away, he had uprooted and headed to Central. Of course, Thea and Felicity had followed him, but Barry did find it rather odd with how sudden he uprooted himself so soon after getting back.

Oliver Queen was a complicated puzzle, and he was determined to figure it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they finally met, whoop!!
> 
> i figured since the two previous chapters were so murder plot heavy, that id make this one more barry centered with how he's doing :p

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are much appreciated! (especially comments, im a hoe for feedback)
> 
> [my tumblr](http://lovelylerman.tumblr.com)   
>  [my instagram](http://instagram.com/blosshom)


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